Various patch bags have been commercialized for the packaging of bone-in fresh meat products, especially fresh red meat products and other bone-in meat products, such as whole bone-in pork loins, etc. The patch reduces the likelihood of film puncture from protruding bones. The patch needs to exhibit good resistance to bone puncture. Optimally, the patch should also exhibit a relatively high free shrink at a relatively low temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,403, to Ferguson, discloses a patch bag having a heat-shrinkable patch containing a blend of linear low density polyethylene blended with ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,402, to Dudenhoeffer et al., discloses the use of various polymers, including very low density polyethylene, in a non-heat-shrinkable patch for a patch bag. AU-B-40238/95 (based on Australian application40238/95, published Jun. 20, 1996) discloses the use of homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer in a patch for a patch bag. However, it remains desirable to provide a film which exhibits improved bone puncture resistance, especially in combination with relatively high free shrink.